Page 207 of Rebellious

“Diesel!” Torrin called.

Rebel looked toward the entrance. When she didn’t see him, she focused on the archway, where Diesel stood. He grabbed the hand of a tall, blonde girl in shorts and a tank top. His tie and coat were gone, his sleeves were rolled up, and two buttons on his shirt were undone.

He guided the stranger toward Rebel’s table. The way the girl hung on him, it was obvious they’d had sex, but what did it matter to Rebel? She had Kaia. Diesel’s cheating was Jana’s problem, not hers. Except…when they halted at the table, Rebel saw that the girl wasn’t much older than her. Definitely not eighteen yet.

“Little sister,” Diesel said cheerfully, a motherfucker to his soul. “I’d like you to meet Tommi.” He smirked at Kaia. “Fia’s sister.”

The girl giggled.

Kaia turned beet red.

“Wh-what’s going on?” Rebel whispered, on the verge of bursting into tears from Torrin’s conversation and because of Diesel.

“Nothing new that I know of,” Diesel responded. “Unless you know something, emo?”

“Of course I don’t,” Kaia snapped, then turned his angry gaze to Rebel. “Let’s go to the house, babe.”

Rebel pointed to Tommi. “H-how old are you?”

“Not that it matters, but she’s sixteen.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, Diesel pulled her closer. Tommi laid her head on his shoulder. “Very experienced.”

Humiliation burned into Rebel and tears rushed to her eyes. Regret flickered across Diesel’s face, but then he looked at Kaia and his expression hardened.

“I—”

“What? Hate me?” Diesel smiled. “Been there. Done that. But what do you care? You have Kaia? Remember? You’re giving emo boy a complex. It’s almost as if he’s just my fill-in.”

Rebel opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Nothing that she wanted, at least. Because a sob escaped her.

She snatched her glass of water and threw it in his wretched face, then lobbed the glass itself at him. She should’ve knocked him out as close as they were, but he dodged her missile.

“Come on, babe,” Kaia said in a gentle voice.

She nodded, needing his kindness.

“Don’t you dare fucking leave with him,” Diesel said, shaking his head and spraying water in all directions.

Flipping him off, she allowed Kaia to guide her away.

“You know what I’ve realized,” Ryan started in the ensuing silence of Mattie’s departure, walking to Rory and clamping his hand on his shoulder. “My dad is so content and Uncle Christopher is so effective because of teamwork. I always looked at it as if it diminished Dad, so whatever role I played would diminish me, too. Until a crisis comes and everyone bands together. Have their voices heard. That carries weight and makes them important, even if it seems they play a minor role.”

“You as sage is a new concept,” Rory said, chuckling.

“It’s better than you as a Johnnie apologist, evader and denier,” Ryan retorted.

CJ turned a disapproving look to Rory—the ones he usually directed at Ryan.

“I’ve already apologized,” Rory reminded them. “That must mean something. CJ’s here.”

“It doesn’t mean what the fuck you think it means, dickhead,” CJ snapped.

Grant rocked on his feet and Ryan’s lips tightened.

“I-I tried to tell you, CJ,” Rory started with hesitation.

“About my sister, Harley, and Mattie?”

“Ryan was involved, too,” Rory cried, having no good response or excuse to CJ’s question as the doorbell rang again. “He’s back in your good graces.”